12 Things Lebanese Medical Students Can Relate To

Lebanon has a distinct culture and interesting attitudes towards certain professions and fields of study, medicine is one of them. And I think all Lebanese medical students can relate to the following:

1. The minute you get your acceptance to Med school your name automatically changes to “el 7akeeme/7akeem”.

Thanks khalto. No pressure. At all.

2. People almost always underrate how much studying you have.

“Yalla mama, ma3leh, join us for this 5 course lunch we’re going to have in Jounieh during rush hour with every single family member ever. It will only take half an hour. 3tibriya a break walaw!”

3. Other few people will overrate how much studying you have.

“Omg raye7 3l 7amem? You actually have time to do that? You’re such a hero. What an inspiration.”

4. Everyone starts coming to you for diagnosis.

It doesn’t matter if you just started med school 1 week ago, people will come up to you with the most complex things. “I don’t know what your chronic pain, vomiting, fainting, and seizures are due to, but I can locate your latissimus dorsi… I think”

5. Your friends are grown-ups and you’re still in school.

Your friends have stable jobs, are engaged, married, and some of them even have kids. And there you are studying for exams, worrying about grades and attendance. Makes you feel a bit like this:

6. Maintaining romantic relationships can be very challenging.

The endless study material, the back to back exams, the long hours at the hospital, and the stress of it all makes it very difficult to find time and the right mindset for your non-med student SO. While some partners are more understanding than others, our field of study is bound to have an impact on our love lives one way or the other.

7. Your tolerance for bullshit and people goes down. And I mean like. way. down.

You absolutely have no patience for drama anymore, or being nice to people you don’t like, or being diplomatic in your answers. “No b***h I do not want to go to your birthday party the day I finish my finals. I want to celebrate ME. Not you. ME. Problem???” And you start cutting people out of your life for the slightest inconvenience or discomfort.

8. If you’re a female, everyone is concerned about you getting married and starting a family. Everyone. Literally.

It’s pretty rare for someone to react pleasantly to your field of study, or say they’re proud. Their typical concern is “kef baddik titjawwaze w yseer 3ndik 3ayle? Shou baddik bhal shaghle.” Thanks for the life advice, lady who’s done my nails once.

9. “What do you do in life?” – “I’m a med student” – “…why?”

Thanks buddy, just what I needed to hear.

10. You develop the unhealthiest habits while learning how bad said habits are.

Proceeds to study about arrhythmia and tachycardia while sipping on red bull infused coffee.

11. You’ve experienced Medical Student Syndrome to some extent.

You start seriously believing that you have the symptoms of the disease you’re studying about. A disease that affects left handed short sighted African American 2 year olds? Omg I definitely have that!

12. On a more serious note; the stressful lifestyle, the constant competition, and the huge responsibility can be extremely stressful. A recent study found that 40% of Lebanese medical students have burnout, 23.8% reported depressive symptomatology, and 14.5% have suicidal ideations. These increased rates are alarming. Please don’t hesitate to ask for help while you provide it for others.

Embrace’s Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1564

main image courtesy of aub.edu.lb